The New York Red Bulls still have an uphill climb to keep their 11-year streak of consecutive Audi MLS Cup Playoff appearances alive.
But seven points in their last three matches, including four from back-to-back derby showdowns with New York City FC, has injected some belief and confidence, with coach Gerhard Struber feeling “a big relief” following a 1-0 win at Yankee Stadium Saturday night.
“I can feel in many moments that the determination, the desire come back, and in the end, I think we deserve the win,” Struber said after the match “Absolutely, it is a big win, it is a big feeling, and to win away against a team on this level.”
After being somewhat fortunate to share the points in a 1-1 draw at Red Bull Arena Wednesday, the Red Bulls played the game on their terms Saturday night to earn their first derby win at Yankee Stadium since the infamous 7-0 drubbing on May 21, 2016.
It's also the Red Bulls' second straight win away from home, after defeating Inter Miami CF, 4-0, on Sept. 17.
“I think my boys always try their best and my boys always try to find spaces, they find synchronized moments,” Struber said. “But today, yes, we are sharp like a knife, and I think they feel that from the first second.”
The lone goal Saturday night was scored by a Bronx native, set up by a Brooklynite with Kyle Duncan making an endline run before nutmegging Gudi Thórarinsson on a cutback to Omir Fernandez, who finished just outside the six-yard box two minutes from halftime.
“It was like so many emotions that at that time I cannot process," Fernandez said. "After I went into halftime, I started processing everything that kind of happened to me. It was special for me you know to score here in front of my parents. They probably drove 10 minutes from the house, so it was something meaningful for me to score and celebrate right in front of them.”
Can this be the moment the Red Bulls make their playoff push? They’re 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, seven points below the playoff line with three other teams to leapfrog. But there are still nine matches remaining, six of which are against teams also fighting for a playoff spot – and another derby match on Oct. 17 looms.
It's a tall task before Struber's squad, though they have a prime opportunity when the Philadelphia Union come to Red Bull Arena Wednesday trying to build some momentum of their own (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+).
“I mean, we are definitely happy to go out and win the derby,” Duncan said. “Like I said just now, it makes the fans happy. But again, we are in a bad spot right now and we are trying to get into a playoff spot, so we have to win every game that we can right now.”
